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Overreliance on legacy VIP systems threatens ‘silent churn’, new survey finds

By jili tutorial · September 18, 2026

A Guide to Preventing VIP Churn in iGaming: Rethinking Operations, Data, and Human Touch

The online gambling industry invests heavily in high-value players—known as VIPs—expecting loyalty and sustained revenue. Yet a recent study reveals a critical blind spot: most VIP management teams still rely on spreadsheets and manual processes, leaving operators vulnerable to “silent churn,” where VIPs disengage without warning. This guide unpacks the survey’s findings, explains the operational pitfalls, and offers actionable insights for operators looking to protect their most valuable segment.

The Silent Churn Problem: When VIPs Disappear Without a Trace

Silent churn is a costly phenomenon. A VIP player may stop depositing, reduce activity, or leave entirely—without providing any feedback or triggering a standard alert. According to the 2026 report The State of VIP Operations, compiled by The Playa in collaboration with Gaming Operations Academy and WarriorLab, 46% of VIP managers reported that players often or very often become inactive without prior warning. Worse, 48% said they had no indicators of players’ behavioral signals or health.

For an operator, losing a top-tier player can mean tens of thousands of dollars in monthly revenue vanishing overnight. The challenge is that VIP portfolios are often too large for a manager to monitor each account individually, and manual tools cannot detect subtle shifts in behavior—like a dip in session frequency or a change in stake size—until it’s too late.

The State of VIP Operations: Key Survey Insights

The survey gathered responses from 70 professionals actively involved in VIP management, including account managers, heads of VIP, and consultants. 64% of respondents were directly employed by gambling operators. The research aimed to understand daily portfolio management, tool usage, and operational challenges.

1. Reliance on Legacy Tools

Despite the availability of AI and automation solutions, none of the respondents selected AI or automation as their primary tool for VIP portfolio management. Instead:

The average satisfaction score with existing tools was 6 out of 10. Co-author Gali Hartuv (CEO of WarriorLab) called this “middling satisfaction” the “most expensive kind” because teams tolerate subpar systems instead of demanding better.

2. Portfolio Overload: The 100-Second Problem

64% of managers oversaw 100 or more VIPs, with one in five managing more than 500. The report illustrates the workload with a stark calculation: a manager looking after 250 players would have roughly 100 seconds per player per day if time were split equally.

Co-author Viktoriia Grygorenko (CEO at The Playa) explains: “At above roughly 150 players per manager, personal knowledge stops scaling. The fix is not fewer players or more managers—it is showing each manager which few accounts actually need them today.”

3. Data Fragmentation and Incomplete Information

Even though 75% of respondents rated their VIP data as good or very good, 71% reported data spread across multiple systems. Half admitted making decisions with incomplete or outdated information at least some of the time. This fragmentation prevents managers from getting a unified view of a player’s lifecycle—from deposits to communication history to risk flags.

The Human-AI Balance: Operators Want Support, Not Replacement

The survey uncovered a nuanced attitude toward technology. While 75% of respondents placed high value (8/10 or above) on daily prioritised action guidance for each player, 38% expressed concern that adopting AI might reduce the personal, human touch in VIP management.

This is the core tension: VIP operations is the most human function in iGaming. Players build relationships with their account managers, and trust is fragile. However, the sheer volume of accounts means that managers cannot give every player the right attention without automated triage.

The report’s authors note that VIP managers “are not asking to be replaced.” They want tools that assist by triaging and highlighting priority players, while humans maintain relationship control and make final decisions.

What Operators Want: Five Critical Improvements

Respondents identified several priorities for improving VIP operations:

  1. Integrated systems that combine player data, communication history, and task management in a single view
  2. Structured, consistent guidelines with KPIs aligned to relationship outcomes (not just revenue)
  3. Real-time, detailed data alongside predictive behavioral signals
  4. Managerial autonomy supported by senior leadership
  5. Daily prioritised action lists that tell each manager exactly which players need attention today

Grygorenko sums up: “The findings show that VIP managers are asking for a clearer signal on who needs attention, what has changed, and where their judgment can have the greatest impact.”

Regulatory Context: How UK Rules Reshaped VIP Operations

VIP operations have changed drastically over the last ten years, especially in the UK. In October 2020, a new code of conduct came into force following a consultation between the Gambling Commission and the Betting and Gaming Council. Key changes included:

According to a Gambling Commission report from 2025, the number of VIP customers per operator dropped by 95% since the strengthening of restrictions. This regulatory evolution has forced operators to focus on quality over quantity—making it even more critical to retain the high-value players who remain.

Practical Steps to Combat Silent Churn

For operators looking to modernize their VIP management, the report suggests these actions:

ChallengeRecommended Approach
Data fragmentationInvest in a unified CRM or VIP platform that aggregates player data, communication logs, and behavioral signals
Portfolio overloadImplement prioritization engines that surface players showing early signs of disengagement (e.g., decreased logins, slower betting, no responses)
Fear of losing human touchUse AI for triage and recommendations only, leaving final relationship decisions to VIP managers
Reactive workflowsBuild proactive alerts for behavioral changes—e.g., a 30% drop in weekly deposits triggers a manager check-in
Lack of KPIsDefine relationship-based KPIs such as response time, player satisfaction scores, and retention rates after intervention

Conclusion: From Reactive to Predictive

The silent churn revealed in the 2026 study is not inevitable. By moving away from spreadsheets and fragmented dashboards, and by adopting AI-powered prioritization while preserving the human touch, operators can detect disengagement early, intervene personally, and retain their most valuable players. As Grygorenko warns, “Every other finding resolves here, in revenue that walks out without notice, without warning, and without anyone getting the chance to intervene.”